Important milestones in Marauders' history
by Jarka
Summary: most important moments in Marauders' history...finding out about Remus, Sirius moving in with Potters, becoming animagi... mainly about Sirius' problems with his family and Remus' furry little problem.Rated T for curse words in later chapters/just to be sure.


**Just an idea that came to me the other night. I know stories like this were done million time, and I'm not saying that mine is any different, it's just my point of view on the school years of Marauders. I'm thinking about writing a couple of chapters, catching the most important events in their lives, mainly Sirius visiting Potters over summer and eventually moving in with them. Marrauders finding out about Remus' furry little problem, becoming animagi – the usual stuff plus some pranks thrown in for good measure.**

**Let me know if I should continue with the story.**

**As usual – Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, duh, we all now it's J. who wrote these amazing books, lucky her.**

**And again, English is not my first language and as I've learned it from reading Harry Potter and watching movies in English, I ask you to PLEASE be patient with me and try to ignore all typos and grammatical mistakes. I try to catch and correct as many as I can but with school and all the exams I have hardly time to write, not to mention re-read the stuff I write.**

**/sorry for the long note – won't happen again/**

**I hope you'll like it.**

**Enjoy!**

Sirius closed his eyes, grabbing his bed cover. He smacked his head against the cold wall as another wave of nausea hit him. He spit into the clean white handkerchief, leaving it stained with blood. That precious blood that his parents cared so much about.

They were coming back from the Diagon Alley and muggle kid fell down from his bicycle. It was little boy, few years younger than Sirius, and he tried really hard not to cry but a lonely tear slipped from the corner of his eye. Both of boy's knees were scratched really bad, but nothing a quick healing charm couldn't fix.

But muggles didn't have charms for that, Sirius knew it, hearing his parents laughing at the unworthy people -muggles almost every day, blaming them for every catastrophe or fall of economics.

Sirius didn't hesitate a bit before helping the boy back up, dusting off his shirt and offering an optimistic word of encouragement.

He knew it was bad. Very bad. He was one hundred percent sure there's punishment waiting for him, for lowering to the level of filthy muggles, but there was something in Sirius' nature which wouldn't let him pass the boy without helping him up.

And here he was now, with spinning head, and a taste of blood in his mouth.

"I hope they'll get some sense to that stupid head of yours in Hogwarts. Don't you dare getting friendly with the wrong kind of people. Luckily you'll have lots of cousins and family friends in Slytherin looking over you." Said his father coldly and shut the bedroom door, locking it from outside.

Great, absolutely smashing. No dinner tonight. Thought Sirius sadly and curled on his side, lying across the silver bed-spread. Two more days and he will go away. Away from all the hate and the shadow of his perfect younger brother, he thought before falling unconscious in the cold room.

The smoke was already rising from the engine when Sirius crossed the barrier between platform nine and ten, closely followed by his father.

He was wearing heavy black robes with pointy collar and dull silver snaps in front. His trunk was heavy with school books and robes, and he had problems pulling it through the crowds of people waiting for the departure of Hogwarts' express, but he knew better than ask for help. His father was still angry, because the incident with the muggle boy was just a start of two days long argument between the first-born son and his parents.

"Don't you dare put one toe out of the line. We'll know about it sooner than you realize. I hope you will make us proud and finally realize that people with pure blood are the only acceptable company. You are Black, after all. Do not forget it. _Toujours pur."_ Said Mr. Black, stopping in front of the compartment at the very beginning of the train, close to the prefects carriage.

"Yes Father." Agreed Sirius coldly, bowing slightly before turning around and pulling his trunk up the stairs.

His father didn't wait for him to get fully inside, or for the train to leave the station. He simply walked away with his head held high, looking angrily at kids who got into his way.

Sirius sighed and pulled the trunk up the last step.

Finally freedom.

First compartment already had occupants, some Slytherin students from higher years, one of them he recognized as Lucius Malfloy.

"No, thank you." He chuckled and started to pull the trunk across the whole train. The last carriage was still empty so Sirius picked the last compartment and threw himself on the seat, wincing a little as he hit the soft spot from the last beating. He took a deep breath and relaxed.

He didn't have long to rest as the silence was soon interrupted by loud smack of doors and a voice exclaiming " Potter, James Potter." The boy laughed, obviously at some kind of joke which Sirius didn't get. He looked up at the newcomer who was standing there, smiling widely at no one in particular.

Sirius noticed that the boy was holding his head high, not a single trace of shyness or uncertainty. But it wasn't snobby way of behaviour. It was the way of a child who is well loved and feels safe at home, knowing whatever happens in life, there will always be someone standing behind him. And Sirius envied him greatly.

"Oh, not a big fan of Jades Bond?" asked James when Sirius didn't laugh at his introduction. "Never mind. Is this seat taken?" James gestured towards the seats where Sirius left his suitcase.

"No, no it's not, I just didn't have time to put it up yet." Grinned Sirius. The truth was that his back still hurt a bit, big purple bruise covering his left shoulder blade.

"Alright, let's put them both up." Suggested James enthusiastically and they hoisted the heavy luggage up on the shelves together.

James turned to Sirius with his eye-brows so high they almost disappeared in his unruly jet black hair.

"Well?" he asked, clearly expecting answer to some mute question.

"Well?" echoed Sirius, looking down at his slightly shorter companion.

"Well, good manners dictate to introduce yourself to a man who helped you with your obnoxiously heavy trunk. Seriously, what do you keep there?"

"Sirius." He introduced himself, leaving out the surname, knowing very well that Potters and Blacks had very different opinions on life in general and he didn't want his family to stand between him and his new (hopefully) friend.

"No, I'm not serious, I was just joking, mine is even heavier, I guess it's all the chocolate mom packed for me or maybe the firecrackers dad sneaked in." James babbled, without stopping to breathe.

"Nah, that's my name. Sirius." He explained, waiting for the jokes to start, because he got teased for the name a lot, but James surprised him.

"Cool! You can get away with a lot of pranks right? Telling people you are serious, and they'll believe you even though you'll be just saying your name. Cool, cool, very handy." Exclaimed James and pulled down the window.

Sirius looked at him in awe, still in shock from all the energy and loudness the boy brought to the small compartment. James' hair flew all around his face, slightly overgrown, as the train pulled out of the station. Sirius watched him wave at his parents, who were waiting so close to the train that Sirius could swear he saw a small tear slip from Mrs. Potter's eye. Then she laughed and hugged her husband, still looking in the direction of disappearing train.

And Sirius realized he was jealous of James, for second time in those five minutes they knew each other.

The jealousy passes quickly and two boys were talking excitedly for a couple of hours, enjoying the sweets and cakes they bought from the witch who sold them on the train. After some time however, they ran out of candy and there wasn't much time two of them could spend sitting calmly on the seats.

"Let's go explore." Suggested Sirius, already standing by the door. Now when he got to know James a little, he let down his guards and was starting to act as himself.

At home, when he was constantly reminded how inappropriate his ideas were he tended to keep them to himself, knowing it was wrong to act the way he wanted, but now he had James, who looked like he had the same sort of wrong ideas, which was fun.

They sneaked outside to the cold corridor. It was unusually rainy and dull for first September and train corridors were quite windy, air sneaking in through the cracks of the wooden floor, as the carriages moved swiftly through the countryside.

They didn't explore much though, stopping at the end of their carriage.

There was a boy sitting on the ground, close to the door leading to the next part of the train.

He looked pale and sick, his hair was pale brown, almost grey at places and he was wearing thin cotton robes.

Sirius looked uneasily at his heavy wool, new, neatly pressed uniform and James' similar ones.

"Hey, you ok?" asked James unceremoniously, crouching down in front of the boy who looked startled as if they just woke him up from snoozing.

"…yes, sure, am I in your way? Sorry, I dozed off." Apologized the boy and started to stumble back to his feet, but his knees gave up and he would have fallen down on the floor if Sirius didn't catch his elbow.

"No, not in the way at least. What are you doing out here alone?" Sirius wanted to know.

"it's full everywhere." Said the boy quietly and shifted to the side, as close to the wall as he could, making room for Sirius and James to pass.

"Na-ah. We're not going anywhere. Let's get you back to our compartment." Said James with a stern voice, leaving no place for arguments. He picked up the old worn-out trunk which served as a chair to the boy for the last couple of hours. He marched back in the direction of their compartment, pulling the baggage behind him.

The boy tried to protest weakly, but Sirius didn't let him finish and pushed him along, following James.

Once they were back inside and the door was closed firmly, keeping all the warmth from escaping, James and Sirius threw themselves back to their seats, no longer bored, having new companion.

"Didn't catch your name?" exclaimed James, using his usual volume which startled the boy. James grinned and swung his legs over the armrest, leaning his back against the wall.

"Remus Lupin." The boy whispered and looked quickly over the compartment.

He felt trapped.

Being closed with two other people in a small space always lead to trouble. No one ever wanted to be in the same room with him, unless they wanted to hurt him, why should this be any different?

"Why don't you sit down Remus?" asked Sirius patting the seat next to him. "We don't bite, you know?" he joked and pretended to bite the air.

Remus froze in place and got even paler. _It was just a joke, they didn't know_. He tried to compose himself bit it was hard, with the fresh wounds from his last transformation hiding beneath his robes, he could still feel the scar tissue newly formed over the biggest bites when he moved.

He slid down on the seat close to the door, as far away from the other boys as he could.

_Good acting, now that was very natural, sure they won't notice anything strange about you_. He scolded himself in his head.

"Well, why don't you have some candy first, we need to warm you up." James interrupted the awkward silence, his carrying side (which he inherited from his mother) kicking in. He shuffled through the empty wrappers scattered loosely all around the compartment, finally finding one of the last chocolate frogs, which somehow escaped hungry Sirius.

He pressed it to Remus' hand and watched him contently. "Eat up." He encouraged the newcomer and leaned back over the wall, eying Remus who was just sitting there with a chocolate frog awkwardly held in his left hand, not knowing what to do.

"I'm sure you would have frozen to death if we didn't save you. Your lips are all blue mate." Exclaimed Sirius, raising his head up just long enough to grin at Remus, before he turned back to the pile of discarded wrappers, searching for more for more left over candy.

Remus self-consciously bit his lower lip, which was blue, sure, but it wasn't from cold, at least not all of the color. Mostly it was just bruise left over from the last full moon.

Two days ago, it was covering his whole jaw and he was grateful that the healer in St. Mungo's was able to bring down the swelling and all that was left was a bit of blue on his lower lip.

Last transformation was really bad. It was less than week before the school started and he was very anxious and stress never helped during those nights.

Remus didn't realize when or how he fell asleep but he woke up as the train stopped. The sky was dark outside, but there were no stars or moon. Black clouds hang low and it looked like it's going to start raining any time now.

He sat up, heavy black cloak sliding from his shoulders, he caught it just in time before the expensive garment hit the floor.

"Oi! You're up!" exclaimed James, now talking even louder than usual, from all the excitement and also because Sirius made him whisper for the last couple of hours so they wouldn't wake Remus up.

"Yeah… I didn't mean to fall asleep…" Remus started to apologize but Sirius cut him off.

"Never mind, we all like a little nap now and then, don't we?" he took the cloak that Remus was handing him.

"Thanks."

"First years! Over here! Hullo! First years come 'ere!" they heard someone calling from outside.

"We better go, there's a delicious dinner waiting for us inside, I heard." Said Sirius smacking his lips together.

And so they hurried outside, Remus almost tripped down the stairs but his new friends steadied him before he could realize what was happening. It came naturally to them and they moved on, without mentioning it, leaving startled Remus standing in the middle of the small platform, staring at them in disbelief.

There wasn't many people on the world who were nice to him, apart from his mother of course, and it was nice change.

_Until they find out_. A small voice at the back of his head whispered, but Remus brushed it off, determined to enjoy the company as long as he could.


End file.
